1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a side bar device, more particularly to a side bar device for a sunshade assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional sunshade assembly 1 for a rear windshield of an automobile includes an engaging unit 10 that is disposed at bottom of the rear windshield, and that has a first engaging plate 101 and a second engaging plate 102 cooperating with the first engaging plate 101 to define a slot 103 therebetween that extends in a direction across the rear windshield. The conventional sunshade assembly 1 further includes a shade-retracting mechanism 11 disposed in the engaging unit 10, a sidebar 12 extending parallel to the slot 103, a retractable shade member 13 having a bottom end that is secured to the shade-retracting mechanism 11 and a top end 131 that is secured to the side bar 12, and a shade-expanding mechanism 14 connected to the side bar 12 and operable for lifting the side bar 12.
The shade-expansion bar 12 is made integrally of plastic through molding, and has an engaging portion 121, a connecting portion 122 and a shade-clipping portion 125. The engaging portion 121 extends along the slot 103, and has a width greater than that of the slot 103 such that the engaging portion 121 is able to engage the first and second engaging plates 101, 102 when the shade member 13 is retracted. The connecting portion 122 extends downwardly from the engaging portion 121 and defines an engaging groove 124 therein. The shade-clipping portion 125 extends from the connecting portion 122 and cooperates with the connecting portion 122 to define a shade-clipping groove 123 for clipping the top end 131 of the shade member 13 therein. The shade-expanding mechanism 14 includes a driving plate 141 that is driven rotatably by a motor (not shown), a pair of connecting arms 142 connected pivotally and respectively to opposite ends of the driving plate 141, a pair of foldable support arms 143, and a pair of connecting blocks 145 engaging the engaging groove 124. Each of the support arms 143 has one end connected pivotally to a free end of a respective one of the connecting arms 142, and another end connected pivotally to a respective one of the connecting blocks 145.
When the shade member 13 is retracted, the engaging portion 121 of the side bar 12 is disposed on the housing unit 10 and covers the slot 103 to prevent dust from falling therethrough. When the shade member 13 is being expanded by the shade-expanding mechanism 14, the driving plate 141 is driven by the motor to drive unfolding movement of the support arms 143, thereby lifting the side bar 12 from the engaging unit 10 and thus expanding the shade member 13.
During installation of the conventional sunshade assembly 1, since the width of the engaging portion 121 of the side bar 12 is greater than that of the slot 103, the side bar 12 must be installed after one of the first and second engaging plates 101, 102 is installed and before the other one of the same is installed. As a result, such a conventional sunshade assembly 1 cannot be applied to automobiles that have integrally-formed engaging units.